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The Man Who Dreamed Up San Francisco's 'Nutcracker'

The San Francisco Ballet kicks off its 80th annual season next Friday with its production of "Nutcracker," which has become a local institution under artistic director Helgi Tomasson.

Mr. Tomasson, 70 years old, sets his "Nutcracker"—which tells the story of a young girl's Christmas dream and journey into a land of sweets—in San Francisco during the era of the 1915 World's Fair. Many of the production's vistas are recognizable to local audiences, including sets of Victorian homes.